fantastic fairy-tale with a deep philosophical content, 10/10!

Rating: 10/10 (20 March 2000)

This film is a very original story about a piano prodigy, who is born on a ship, and will never in his life set foot on the mainland. In a crucial (and very emotional) key scene, he explains that the reason that he will never disembark, is that he can fully grasp the life on the ship, but he is very much afraid of the vastness of the outside world. The idea of all the streets in New York out there, and all the unknown possibilities and many new facets of life just terrify him, and he is willing to die instead of confronting potentially immense and incalculable consequences he isn't prepared (and most importantly, doesn't WANT) to get involved with.
I strongly felt there was a clear parallel with the contemporary developments in technology and science, which proceed in a horrific pace. The enormous amount of information and data in our present world, the head-spinning inundation of bits and bytes makes life all the more complicated. It is truly dazzling, and more importantly, it could drive human beings with a sensitive nature insane.
But apart from the rather pessimistic undertone this brilliant story renders, let's not forget that parts of the film are hilarious, like the surprisingly slapstick-like scene of the main character, yet again an impressive role of Tim Roth by the way, and the trumpettist played by Pruitt Taylor Vince, sitting together at the "wave-stricken" piano...
Also, last but not least, the jazz-contest bit is haunting, thrilling, and in some weird way quite emotive.
A magical, epic, and above all, AUTHENTIC masterpiece.